ORLANDO – While there will certainly be a number of events launched in the coming months to pay homage to those who suffered from the June 12 massacre at Pulse, the city and the county are preparing for the event in the best way they know how. A “Day of Love and Kindness” has been planned to coincide with vigils at the Pulse site, Lake Eola and the History Center.
Orlando’s LGBTQ Alliance, which formed in the wake of the tragedy, is working with the municipal governments to make “love and kindness” matter. Alliance member Jennifer Foster of Foster Productions Inc. says that June 12 should be a day where everyone makes a special effort to be kind in traffic, maybe donate blood and generally be good to locals.
The concrete plans are still in motion as the anniversary is two months away, but the purpose is already in play, Foster says.
“The initiative is to try to connect volunteers with nonprofits,” she says. “What we’re doing now is reaching out to them and then we’ll match volunteers to those opportunities. What we’re doing right now is we’re collecting the opportunities. Right now we just want organizations to submit through the website so we can get a master list.” That website is OCFL.net/home/OrlandoUnitedDay.
The plan’s roll out didn’t come without its share of controversy. Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan was vocal about her fear of this event being effectively washed clean of the LGBTQ community. She took her opinions to Facebook and found massive support. She says she spoke to Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs, and that Jacobs agreed when presented with the argument.
“I didn’t attack anyone,” Sheehan says. “I said that I thought it was important to have the [LGBTQ and QLatinx] community represented. I just work for the community. I don’t want to be the issue to come out of this. Let this be a teachable moment.”
The issue seems to have been resolved, however, as Sheehan posted on her Facebook account.
“I have been a woman of strong opinions and beliefs my entire life,” she wrote.“But a guiding principle in my life has been to express those opinions and try to affect change in a positive and respectful fashion. I want to be clear. While I believe it was a mistake in nomenclature and sensitivity to leave out the affected minority communities in the announcements relating to the Pulse memorials, I do not believe they were intentional. … I support Mayor Dyer and Mayor Jacobs and I will work with them to correct the mistakes and make this a united and beautiful day of events honoring those list in our LGBTQ, Hispanic, African American, and QLATINX communities.”
